Ratatoskr in a 17th century Icelandic manuscript.

Name: Ratatoskr (Typically means “drill-tooth” or “bore-tooth,” although some say based off its etymology that it’d be more like rata-/rati- for “the traveler” and -toskr for “tusk.” Basically “the climber tusk” or “tusk the traveler.”)

Type: nature spirit

Origin: Norse mythology

Description: Ratatoskr is… a squirrel. *grins* He climbs up and down Yggdrasil, the world tree, to take messages between the unnamed eagle at the top and the wyrm Níðhöggr who lives under one of the tree roots at the bottom. According to the 16th chapter of Prose Edda‘s Gylfaginning, Ratatoskr “runs up and down the ash. He tells slanderous gossip, provoking the eagle and Níðhöggr.” Some say the fact Ratatoskr is portrayed as a lowly squirrel is due to his behavior in stirring up trouble.

Interesting Facts: He can be found in both the Poetic Edda, which is a compilation of Old Norse poems and a very important source of information about Norse mythology, as well as Prose Edda, which was written by Snorri Sturluson in approximately 1220. The Prose Edda contains eddic and skaldic poetry poetry about Norse mythology. For such a small creature, there’s a lot of different theories on both his name and purpose/role in Norse mythology.

Have you heard of Ratatoskr before? Any “R” creatures or beings you know of?

Valkyries, from Norse mythology, are “the chooser of the slain.” This comes parts of the Old Norse name valkyrjur with valr meaning “slain on the battlefied” and kjósa meaning “to choose.” These warrior women are an ingrained part of the mythology and viking culture.

Valkyrie are fierce women, with blond hair and tall build. Wielding a gilded shield and a sword, trident or spear as their preferred weapon, they are viewed truly worthy of welcoming any brave warrior to Valhalla. They select only the most heroic of the fallen and bring them to Odin.

When not on battlefields, the valkyrie served mead to the fallen in Odin’s great hall. They also are usually described as the lovers of great warriors. They are associated with swans and can even shapeshift into them.

Interesting Tidbits:

• While depicted on various amulets from the Scandinavia to the Germany, the myth of valkyries (as well as Old Norse runestones and traditions) has traveled far beyond those regions with the Vikings, even becoming part of other cultures.
• Some believe that the origins of the valkyries point to demons who hunted the souls of the fallen and captured them for slaves after battle. Others claim they are the female personification of death, who reaps the souls from fallen men.
• Valkyries aren’t an entirely new subject on my blog. For more information, check out Into the Paranormal: Fylgjur and Valkyjur.

The jötnar Fafner and Fasolt seize Freyja.

Jötunn are giants from old Norse mythology. They’re extremely strong nature spirits. Their home is Jǫtunheimar, one of the nine worlds in Norse cosmology. They live well with homes fashioned like those of the gods.

Some jötnar (plural of jötunn) are described as having long claws, fangs, and deformed appearances. As well as being really tall. Others are sometimes given opposite descriptions, except the tall part. While trolls are hideous and have features like those of neanderthals, the jötnar resemble normal people through their general facial features. However, they might have multiple heads (depending on the individual), which can look into different directions.

They also live a long time and can be very knowledgeable and wise. When it comes to magic, they tend to be shamanic and make use of their brute power, allowing it to do most of their work for them. Unlike trolls, the jötnar are unaffected by sunlight and will not turn to stone like their distant cousins. This means that while the majority of populace are safe during the day, shepherds tend to disappear while herding sheep, and thus, naturally are considered to be eaten.

Here is what wikipedia says in regards to their origins:

The first living being formed in the primeval chaos known as Ginnungagap was a giant of monumental size, called Ymir. When he slept a jötunn son and a jötunn daughter grew from his armpits, and his two feet procreated and gave birth to a son, a monster with six heads. These three beings gave rise to the race of hrímþursar (rime thurs), who populated Niflheim, the world of mist, chill and ice. The gods instead claim their origin from a certain Búri. When the giant Ymir subsequently was slain by Odin, Vili and Vé (the grandsons of Búri), his blood (i.e. water) deluged Niflheim and killed all of the jötnar, apart from one known as Bergelmir and his spouse, who then repopulated their kind.

Interesting Tidbits:

• In Norse mythology, it’s said that fire jötnar, or fire giants, will torch the world at the end of Ragnarök, killing all the people, some of the gods, and themselves. All except for a man and a woman Odin sets aside in a forest that doesn’t burn.
• While jötnar are tied to Norway, they have also spread to England, where they are known as Ettin. 
• In later times, trolls began to replace jötnar and took on many of their traits. Due to that, people started viewing them as one in the same.